Our island home of St. Croix was in the path of Hurricane Maria the night of September 19 and early morning of September 20. It was a Category 5 upon arrival, with reports of gusts up to 200 mph. With a N/NW path, the south shore and west end took the brunt of the storm, though damage was sustained from east to west. And all of this, just two weeks after Hurricane Irma ravaged our sister islands.
It is with gratitude that I report that our team and their families are safe. It is with love that I wish safety and security to all Virgin Islanders. It is with anticipation that I say we will be assessing our property listings over the course of the next few weeks. And it is with hope that I look forward to getting back to the business of making dreams come true in the St. Croix.
You know you’ve survived a hurricane when the hum of generators throughout the valley or across the hillside is a sound of comfort. Knowing that your neighbors are safe and tending to their needs, whether it be enjoying a much-needed shower, giving their refrigerator a little boost, heating up a can of soup, or tuning in for an update from Holland Redfield, our ex-senator who’s tirelessly trying to make sure we all have the best resources and information that is available. Like mid-20th-century times, we all huddle around the radio to listen to his distinctive and nostalgic voice.
Meanwhile, knowing that there are others who may not have the same fortune can take an emotional toll. Our hearts go out to those who are dealing with severe damage to their property or who may not have access to the supplies and services that they need. If you are interested in supporting relief and recovery in the U.S. Virgin Islands, please donate to Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands or Tim Duncan’s 21 US Virgin Island Relief Fund. And if your heartstrings are tied to St. Croix, please be sure to allocate your donation to relief efforts happening here.
The Coldwell Banker St. Croix Realty team is grateful for all of the people who are aiding with rescue, relief and recovery. Thank you to the hardworking teams of WAPA, our internet service providers, the United States military, FEMA, the VI National Guard, and many, many others. The road to recovery will be long, but we are already seeing signs of progress every day.
If you are in need of a rental property because of damage to your home from Hurricane Maria, I invite you to contact our St. Croix for Rent team. We know rentals will be in high demand in the coming weeks and months, and we will do our best to assist you. It would be best to text rather than email, if that’s an option. We are not reliably getting our email yet.
As we heard yesterday evening on the radio from an unknown source, “We are bent, but not broken.”
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